Draft appliance.



J. B. PYLES.

DRAFT APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED APR-2. 1914.

1 ,1 61,340. Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

3144mm Ummmesh.P ylL&5

MSW.

JAMES B. PYL ES, OF MOORE, MONTANA.

DRAFT APPLIANCE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 23, 1915.

Application filed April 2, 1914. Serial No. 829,115.

To all ivhom it may concern Be it known that 1, Jaime B. PYLES, citizen of the United States, residing at Moore, in the county of Fergus and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Draft Appliances, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to draft appliances and has for its object the production of a simple and cfiicient means for overcoming the twist of a swingle tree upon a double tree at the point where the same is attached to a double tree.

Another object of the invention is the pro duction of an e'llicient brace means for connecting the tongue to the tongue or pole circle of the vehicle so as to efliciently brace the same and at the same time allow the free movement of the whiflie tree upon the tongue, and also facilitate the use of smaller beams in connection with draft appliances.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of the device in operation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section through the tongue of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1.

By referring to the drawings it will be seen that 1 designates the pole or tongue circle of the vehicle which is connected to the usual tongue 2. A double tree is pivotally mounted upon the hammer bolt 4, and this double tree carries a swingle tree 5 at each end thereof. These swingle trees 5 are connected by means of a truss strap 6 which extends longitudinally of the double tree and is engaged centrally thereof by means of a hammer strap 7.

The hammer strap 7 is provided with a rearwardly bent end 8 which end overhangs the truss member 6 in the manner as illustrated in Fig. 1 and a pivot pin 9 passes therethrough for pivotally connecting the hammer strap 7 to the truss bar or member 6. The hammer strap 7 is provided at its rear end with an off-set pocket portion 10, which pocket portion overhangs or loops over the tongue circle 1 of the running gear. The extreme rear end of the hammer strap 7 is bent so as to extend under the lower face of the tongue 2 as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 2, having its lip portion 11 secured to the under face of the tongue 2 by means of a rivet or other suitable connecting means 12.

A substantially T-shaped tie strap 13 of the usual construction is placed upon the upper and lower faces of the tongue 2 and has its head portion 14: engaging the respective upper and lower faces of the portion 1 of the tongue circle, the body portion of the strap 13 extending longitudinally of the tongue 2 as is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2. By means ofvthe strap members 13 it should be understood that the same will constitute eflicient means for connecting the tongue to the portion 1 of the tongue circle carried by the vehicle. The head portionsl? of the strap members 13 may be fixedly secured to the body portion 1 of the tongue circle by means of rivets or other suitable fastening means 18. The loop portion 10 of the hammer strap 7 straddles the portion 1 of the tongue circle as illustrated in Fig. 1, and also overhangs the heads 17 of the strap portions 13 so as to firmly hold the strap portions 13 in engagement with the tongue and portion 1 of the tongue circle.

A diagonally extending brace member 19 is secured to the upper face of the strap member 13, and extends rearwardly of the tongue and engages the under face of the hammer strap 7 and is fixedly secured thereto by means of being welded or riveted to the hammer strap 7. The hammer strap in this manner will be braced against the forward pull of the horses thereon. A bracket 20 fits under the forward end of the brace member 19 as illustrated in Fig. 2 and also overhangs the whiffle tree 3 and is engaged by the hammer bolt 4, the bracket 20 con stituting means for preventing the head of the hammer bolt from working through the whiflie tree 3.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that the hammer strap 7 by being placed over the strap members 13 will constitute means .for efficiently bracing the tongue and hold the swingle trees from twisting upon the double tree 3.

By use of the present device it has been found that practically one-half of the timber necessary to have been used previously to the present invention is found necessary in the present device owing to the efficient metallic bracing mechanism which has been produced by means of the present invention. The present invention is especially adapted for carriages and other vehicles, wherein it is necessary to back the vehicle considerably, and by means of the present device the rearpole to the tongue or pole circle, thereby firmly holding all of the parts of the connection in a close assembled relation.

It should be understood'that by means of the brace 19 the hammer strap 7 and also by means of the bracket 20, the double tree 3 Will also be held against twisting movement upon the hammer bolt 4 as well as the swingle trees 5 as previously described.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new, is

In a draft appliance, the combination with a tongue, a tongue circle positioned upon the end of said tongue, a T-shaped tie strap fixed upon said tongue circle, a hammer strap passing around said circle and engaging said T-shaped tie strap for assisting in holding said tie strap in position, said hammer strap over-hanging the rear portion of said tongue, a double tree carried by said tongue, a bracket secured to said double tree and mounted upon said tongue, said bracket having a vertical central portion, a brace member fitting upon the rear portion of said bracket and bearing against the vertical portion thereof, said brace engaging the inner face of said hammer strap means carried by the forward end of said hammer strap and engaging the ends of said double tree for bracing the same, said hammer strap holding said brace so as to cause the brace to hold said bracket in position to brace said double tree.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

J. H. Monnow, A. D. Sco'r'r.

' Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

